Notice
by akitokihojo
Summary: Two best friends sickeningly in love with each other, one convinced he'd never view her as more than what she currently was and the other sick and tired of waiting for her to realize the subliminal messages he's been sending. "How have you not noticed?" Inuyasha murmured disbelievingly.


Kagome propped her chin on her hand as she leaned along the arm of the couch, forcing herself to at least look like she was focused on the movie her friends had put on. It was the comedown from the climax, the slow motion run with the background explosion, the I'm-so-glad-you're-okay romance scene, the breathless and dramatic kiss, the stomach churning, bitter taste-inducing, silent wallowing-ensuring part of the movie just before the credits rolled. For some reason, it was hard for her to concentrate on anything other than the man sitting on the opposite couch, sipping a beer while he placidly watched the movie their group had seen a minimum of four times together now.

It was safe to say she'd become a pathetic lump of emotions lately. There was no telling why; she'd had feelings for her best friend since grade school, so it wasn't anything she wasn't accustomed to. Nothing had changed. She keeps her fun, little secret, and he continues on doing whatever he wants. Clearly, he's never fancied anything more with her, and that's fine. It's fine. Perfectly fine. She came to terms with it when she entered high school and he still hadn't made a move. Now that they were nearing their mid-twenties, it should have been well-engraved that it just wasn't going to happen. Really, her feelings should have faded away by now, but apparently a large part of her personality that should be defined whenever someone had the audacity to ask her to tell them about herself was, _hopeless._

What was it going to take to get a grip these days? They were friends. Best friends. They were glued at the hip most times, confidants, they'd seen each other at their worst, at their best, in their don't-talk-to-me-I'm-half-asleep states, they've talked each other up for dates - yes, even her. She was in love, she wasn't selfish. - and helped each other cope when things turned upside down. Inuyasha and Kagome knew each other raw. Even if he _did_ like her in the same way, it'd never work out, would it? They'd break up and their friendship would effectively be ruined, and that was something she just couldn't chance.

Or, it was a chance she didn't have to worry about taking considering the painstakingly obvious fact that Inuyasha would never see her as anything more than the dweeb that habitually needed saving from bullies when she was nine, and one time intentionally spilt apple juice on his pants when he called her ugly. He deserved it, though, and that was a reputation she was willing to live with.

Kagome had tried not to entertain her thoughts. It was probably just her impending period - the flared PMS, if you will - that had her heart mixed up at the moment. Honestly, she's cried over a puppy flea medication commercial before, it shouldn't be surprising that she'd be a little hung up over the guy she's had a soft spot for for just about fifteen years. Nevertheless, the agitated bounce in her knee wasn't making her attempted inconspicuousness any easier to pull off.

As the credits rolled and the ending theme blared, her friends rose to call it a night, chattering away about how the movie never got old while they slid their shoes on and headed out. And then, just like that, Kagome could breathe again; a littler easier, at least. She made her way back into the living room, turning the tv off and setting some music to play on her bluetooth speaker as she cleaned up the snacks and bottles around her apartment, softly singing along to the words once the chorus came in full swing.

Without warning, Inuyasha had entered through, unfazed by her startled gasp she nearly choked on as he crossed his arms and pursed his lips in the center of the room.

"How many times have I told you to keep your front door locked?"

"Jesus, did you just come back here to check or something?" She asked rigidly, clutching her chest.

"I came because I forgot my hat, but it was a good opportunity to see if you'd grown a brain yet." He argued, grabbing the black cap from the counter and waving it in front of her before rolling it up and sticking it in his back pocket.

"I planned on taking the trash out, it didn't need to be locked immediately."

"See, the crazy thing about locks is you can flip them open and closed at your leisure." He said sarcastically, snagging the plastic bag from her hand and throwing the two empty beer bottles nearby inside.

"Ha-ha, so clever. You're such a watchdog."

"Yeah, well someone's gotta make sure you're safe."

"I've got a bat, I can take care of myself!"

"I _bought_ you the bat."

"That's irrelevant."

"What if someone walked right in?"

"Like you always do?"

"Exactly."

"Then I'd hit them with my bat!"

"And where is the bat?" Inuyasha cocked his head to the side, short, tousled, silver strands of hair leaning away from his temple with gravity.

"In my..." Kagome stiffened, her argument lost already. "Room."

"Mhm."

She scrunched her nose in mockery, rolling her eyes as he gave her the exact infamous, cocky expression she'd been expecting.

"Oh god, you like this sappy song?" Inuyasha drawled, changing the subject as the instruments faded in over the speaker, building up the beginning of the song just before the lyrics came in.

"Shut up! You always criticize my music taste!" Kagome snatched the trash bag away from him, dropping it to the floor to tie the drawstrings together. "I heard it on the radio and liked it."

"Since when are you a country girl?"

"I could ask you the same thing. How do you even know the song?"

"Just because I've heard it, doesn't mean anything. Give me the trash, I'll take it out."

"I didn't know these romantic songs made you such a sucker, Inuyasha. Or is it the twang in his voice that gets your rocks off?" Kagome teased, sticking the tip of her tongue between her teeth, holding the bag out of reach from him.

"Oh, it's the twang. No doubt about it. I just get so weak in the knees when he nails that vibrato in the bridge." The half demon stepped in right on queue, biting his lip as he rolled his body to the slow rhythm. She rolled her eyes at his taunting advance, laughing along as he pretended like he knew the words, all the while reaching for the bag in her hand. Moving aside, she lightly swung it, the empty glass bottles knocking loudly as they smacked his lower leg.

He used the opportunity to take the trash, dropping it behind him, grabbing Kagome's wrist as she giggled and turned away again while pulling and spinning her back to him a little too enthusiastically. She collided with his chest and he caught her waist, his hand instinctively gliding to just above the small of her back. He hadn't planned that. It was hard to say what, exactly, he'd planned when planting his hat on the counter to _nonchalantly_ come back to retrieve when the others had left. All he knew was he was tired of hinting, tired of pining. Maybe he was no good at it, or maybe Kagome was absurdly clueless. Maybe it was unrequited and the worst idea he'd ever come up with, or maybe it was the exact amount of brash necessary to finally get the ball rolling. There was a lot on the line, and she meant everything to him. It was risky. But he was tired of how divided he'd been feeling from her. Everything in him had been screaming to grab ahold before it was too late, take her, fucking say something. It was supposed to be wrong, he understood that, but then why didn't it feel like it was?

Kagome was gazing up at him, her big brown eyes slightly guarded, a shadowed hint of pink coloring her cheeks. She was gorgeous. And he froze.

As if to break the ice, Kagome responded with a formal smile. One he'd received time and time again over the years, more particularly as of late. It was rehearsed. He could tell. He was used to it, but knew there was something more behind it; something he achingly wanted to know right now more than ever.

"Can I have the bag back?" She asked, clearing her throat and stepping back, the blush still decorating her face but slowly fading.

"I'll take it on my way out." Inuyasha dismissed, his tone unintentionally hushed. She nodded gratefully, wandering over to the kitchen to turn the harsh, florescent light out, then sauntering over to the small speaker to lower the volume.

Ember eyes followed her movements, the pastel pink dress she wore swaying with her gait. The further she became, the louder the chant grew in his head. _Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it! Fuck it! _He said her name, the sound husky and heady as a result from the unhinging fluttering in his stomach. There was a drumming sensation within his chest, one that egged him on, aided his reckless thoughts. He needed to get a grip, but he needed to get a grip on her more.

Kagome looked up from straightening the throw pillows on her thrift shop couch, her acknowledging glance shifting into a skeptical grin as he continued to stare, silently building up his courage. There was a magnetic force guiding his feet as he finally moved, steadily crossing the carpet, like fate saying "Just get it over with already, you fucking wimp." As he carefully approached, that rosy color flooded Kagome's cheeks again, and _god, _he couldn't even begin to explain how much he liked it. It was one of the conclusive factors that had him damning it all for a small moment of blinded self-indulgence.

Inuyasha gave her time to make her call, to define her boundaries, but she didn't move as he placed his hands on the curves of her waist, smoothing the few creases in the summer dress before developing a firmer grasp. Kagome was tense, searching with her gaze, but inviting all the while. Her body language was reactive. She subtly broadened her shoulders, opening herself, lips slightly pursed in curiosity. One more step in brought them perfectly close, to the point where she was leaning back slightly to look up at him, her raven hair hanging freely behind her back.

"What are you doing?" She asked, that same, practiced grin beginning to form on her lips. Something told him to stop it before it settled, before it hid her away from him again, and he followed his instincts, bending forward.

"Stop me." He breathed, hovering for a thrill-inducing moment.

But she couldn't. She didn't.

In fact, she inched in before he did, her soft lips barely brushing against his before he fully claimed her, inhaling through his nose as he inadvertently had to brace himself. It was gentle. He wasn't allowed to get too swept up, no matter how quintessential it all felt. Her mouth followed his lead, fitting perfectly, moving with him, tender and smooth.

God, it felt so good. So liberating.

Her hands traveled up over his chest, his shoulders, landing on the curve of his neck. She didn't pull and grasp. She was so soft, it almost tickled.

"Wait, wait, wait-" Kagome gasped, pushing herself to a mindful distance, her thumb rubbing at her tingling bottom lip. "What-"

Inuyasha's mouth hung partially open, horribly embarrassed by his own actions, swiping his hands through his short, messy locks as he tried to find his bearings. "Fuck!" He hissed. "I'm sorry!"

"You kissed me."

"I-I did." He awkwardly admitted, half laughing while staring at the far corner of the ceiling to avoid eye contact.

She was hesitant. How could she not be? Her best friend had just gone from zero to a hundred so fast. She'd wanted the kiss, there was no denying that with herself. She'd wanted that kiss since the moment she hit puberty. The question on her tongue was, why had she received it? Was he experimenting? Did country music inflict a spell of some sort on him that caused him to act irrationally? Was it a cruel joke?

Asking why, though, would be the most uncoordinated way of clearing the air. Shouldn't she just be happy he made a move, despite his intentions? Even if he was experimenting, or just wanted to see what it was like, shouldn't she appreciate the reward she, in turn, had received?

Good lord…

Had Kagome become _that_ desperate?

"Look, we can just pretend it never happened and move on with our lives, alright?" Inuyasha frantically offered, a cringe on his lips, his cheeks horribly red and vibrant as his fingers continuously threaded through his silver hair, ruffling it up nervously. The rejection stung worse than alcohol in a fresh cut, but it was one he'd mentally prepared himself for over and over. It was a fifty-fifty chance he'd knowingly taken. "Like that one time we accidentally saw each other naked in the tenth grade and agreed to never bring it up in conversation. That worked out nicely. Yeah, we can - we can just let it go."

"Yeah. If that's what you want." A pause. "Is that what you want?" Kagome asked stiffly, unable to hinder the way her shoulders drooped.

His ember eyes finally met hers. His brows had pinched together at the question, and he licked his lips apprehensively. "If it's what _you_ want." There was a pause as he watched her brown eyes flicker to the floor. It wasn't sad. In fact, he could hardly determine the emotion behind it all. Since when couldn't he read Kagome? Inuyasha took a step in, bending slightly at the waist to gather her attention.

"What if it isn't?" She boldly asked, nailing him with a piercing gaze. She was an idiot to have pushed away. She had a bad habit of second guessing everything, of being too cautious. She's wanted this for too long. At what point would she grow exhausted from keeping her enormous facade in place? He'd made a move, one that didn't seem to be coincidental. Her face felt increasingly hot as she pondered what was taking place between them when suddenly the answer was right in front of her. Stop thinking. "Would it be crazy? Would it ruin-"

"How have you not noticed?" Inuyasha murmured disbelievingly.

Kagome released a shallow breath of air that could pass as a chuckle, filling the gap she so foolishly created and kissing him with the fervor she'd been biting back for years. His arms were swiftly around her, crushing her to him as if he needed her just as badly.

She tasted sweet, like the candy she'd been snacking on earlier. She fit impeccably in his arms. She stumbled backward with his intensity as neither of them could control how wildly passionate they grew. His thoughts were muddled with nothing more than her, her, her, her, bringing him to sigh out shakily as he carefully pinned her against the nearby wall.

Kagome's fingers threaded through his hair, grasping with a firm pull, fueling that fire in his stomach that had erupted when she kissed him. As her grip relaxed, her nails gently massaging his scalp, he allowed a brief moment to stall. Breathing her in. Parting an inch. Chests heaving. His lips grazing hers, dragging, but not settling, repeating over again as he loved the way she tried to kiss him when he teased her with the touch, backing away to prevent her success. When he finally kissed her, there was a pleading sound at the back of her throat. A clenched whimper. His ear flicked at the beautiful noise.

Inuyasha's hands glided up the sides of her arms, stopping on one side to fiddle with the fallen strap of her dress, the thin material hanging loosely.

"Do you want me to stop?" He mindfully asked. He felt her head shake in answer, the tips of their noses brushing before she kissed him again. That wasn't good enough. He needed to hear it. He needed to know she was one-hundred percent comfortable with everything. "Kagome-" He grunted, giving one small peck before pulling away enough to see her face. Her lips were glistening and swollen, her cheeks were flushed, and she blinked her eyes open to meet his gaze. "Do you want me to stop, baby?"

"No." She replied earnestly. She dragged her hands down from his hair, the fingertips of one tracing the chiseled line of his jaw.

"You sure?"

"Promise."

"Can I - can we go to your room?"

Kagome nodded, smiling as she pressed up and kissed him. He used the moment to swoop down and clutch the backs of her thighs, bringing her to wrap her legs around his waist as he hiked her up and stepped away from the wall. It wasn't the clearest path to her room; having been to her apartment a million times, he knew to watch out for the sharp turn toward the very short hallway. He only stumbled once and she giggled into his mouth.

As they got to the doorway, she reached and flicked one of the light switches, the power only turning on the outlet with the long string of purple star lights that went up one wall and around the high corners of her room. He'd put those up. He'd bitched the entire time. Now, he was so fucking glad he caved and did that for her short ass because she looked radiant in the glowing color.

Carefully, Inuyasha set her on her bed, crawling on top of her as she got further adjusted on the mattress.

"Still okay?" He asked between kisses.

"Shut up." She breathily laughed, pulling him down on her by the belt loops of his jeans.

He hated and loved that she was wearing his favorite dress on her; loved for obvious reasons, and hated because the skirt of it had already bunched at her hips as he pressed between her bent legs, welcoming him in as if it were hardly a border between them, and adding to his list of reasons to love it even more. Inuyasha heard the slight hitch of breath from her nose as he softly ground into her, unable to help how the searing heat that radiated from her body taunted him worse than the sound of his name from her lips. He kissed her, his teeth raking her bottom lip, grinding again, trailing his fingers up her thigh, under the wrinkles of her dress, and gripping the plush of her hip.

Kagome's hands had a mind of their own, maneuvering beneath the half demon's loose-fitted tee and over his back to feel the defined muscles contracting as he slowly and rhythmically moved against her. She settled at the small of his back, just above the line of his pants, her fingers massaging over the Venus dimples she'd always desired to touch every time they peeked out when the hem of his shirt rode a little high. As if reading her mind, Inuyasha kneeled above, pulling the back collar of his shirt up and over his head, discarding the cursed item of clothing on the floor.

The heat from his skin was blissful. He'd meshed back with her body as if he hadn't left, curving against her, kissing her feverishly, and she'd only wished for another second to look at the silver happy trail that began at the bottom of his navel and disappeared behind dark blue jeans.

Inuyasha ventured south of her mouth, nudging the curve of her jaw out of his way as he kissed down the side of her neck. He smiled into her skin when he'd coincidentally nipped at the right spot, her fingers flexing against his back as she gasped. Again, he kissed the spot between her clavicle and throat, lingering for added effect before moving on down her chest. She arched, perking her breasts upward perfectly so he could drag his lips over the fleshy curves just above the hem of her dress, all the while utilizing her position to hike the cloth even further up her body, over her stomach, up her ribcage, until it was bunched at her chest. Kagome followed his pull and sat up to allow him to remove the garment, the space between them instantly filled by Inuyasha pressing his mouth to hers once more and laying her down.

He seemed breathless, his guided motions against her practiced and careful. She felt she should have been nervous, shy, or even embarrassed, but she wasn't. No, she felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be with exactly who she was meant to be with. Maybe it was by chance, or maybe it was because she loved him too much to express with words. It didn't matter anymore. Not as he hovered inches above her, his ember eyes taking her body in before he allowed his hands to glide any further. Kagome smiled. She was happy. She was perfectly comfortable. She combed her fingers through his tousled hair and he gazed up at her, a fire in his irises that lit up her night. And he smiled too.

Inuyasha reached behind him, pulling the annoying, rolled up hat from his back pocket that he'd been too preoccupied to throw aside, finally getting rid of the damn thing before unbuttoning his jeans and lowering the zipper. She helped him push them down until they were too low for her to reach, her fingers raking over the material of his boxers while he kicked his pants off. She dragged them around his hip, incorporating her nails a little, biting her lip as she neared his cock. Shifting her hand, she trailed the tips of her fingers up his hard length, his mouth parting at the sensation. Kagome repeated the delicate pattern, up and down, sometimes teasing and gliding over his pelvis, then back to his shaft all the way to the head. He didn't know why he liked it so much. It was so simple, so soft, but felt so fucking good, even better when she took a firm grip of it over his boxers, bringing a heady grunt from his throat.

She was going to be the death of him.

Inuyasha pushed her wrists away, pressing into her hips as he grazed his lips against hers, inching away as she reached for a kiss, only to tease her with a ghost of a touch. He dragged his thumb along her bottom lip, watching her mouth part in effect, and he dipped the appendage inside, biting back his sigh as she tauntingly sucked until he removed it. This time, he dipped his index in, and again she sucked, her hot tongue moving over his finger until he removed it and transferred it to the line of her white panties, pushing beneath to drag his wet finger along her lips. There was a small gasp from her, the sound hardly controlled. He dipped in, mindful of his claws, gently spreading her juices over her clit. There was a whimper on her breath that time, but he wanted more. He incorporated his middle finger, applying just a little more pressure, avoiding her clit for a small moment as he watched her worry her bottom lip, then began to massage the swollen nub, her back arching as she gave him a broken keen.

"Condom." He groaned, and Kagome clumsily reached for her nightstand, pulling open the drawer but unable to reach inside from her position. Inuyasha took over, easily finding the pack and pulling one out. Dropping the wrapper on her tummy for a brief second, he curled his fingers at the hips of her panties, pulling them down and removing them completely, then promptly took off his boxers. He retrieved the condom then, opening the wrapper and securing the rubber over his cock.

He lined himself perfectly over her, nudging at her entrance and observing the way she didn't tense in the least. Her chocolate gaze flickered to meet his, her fair skin glowing a shade of lavender from the lighting. Inuyasha pushed inside, Kagome's mouth parting as she sighed out. He ground against her tantalizingly slow, and he let out a grunt of his own, the sound muffled by the curve of her neck. She clutched him at his sides, even as he paused, her nails softly gliding up and down his ribcage.

He propped himself up on a forearm, his other hand smoothing the dark bangs from Kagome's forehead. "Are you still okay?"

"I'm with you," She smiled. "This is perfect."

There was an expanding rush through his chest, eliminating all anxieties from his system and warming him like a campfire had been ignited nearby. He was struck deep by that comment.

He'd asked her how she'd never noticed. The real question was, how hadn't he?

Nothing was unrequited. Nothing had _ever_ been that way.

He kissed her, breathing out as he began to pump. Kagome moaned as he ground deep, and it only served to fuel him, aid him in his vehemence, encourage him to roll his hips and see how long it would take her to whine his name. He teased her by hastening his pace just enough to get her arching into him, then slowed so much he, himself, was hissing from the ache that needed quelling.

He'd propped himself up on his hands so he could watch her bounce with his thrusts, keeping them steady and controlled, and he could tell she was getting closer and closer, the intensity building rapidly. Kagome had grasped his forearms, bucking her hips to meet his pace, breathing heavily, soft whines and broken gasps on her tongue. He decreased his speed, but ground into her harder, groaning as she dug her nails in. He dipped down to whisper in her ear.

"How do you want it, baby?"

"F-faster." She shakily answered.

"Will you cum for me?"

She could only nod.

He complied, protecting the top of her head from the frame of the bed by using his hand as a border, thrusting faster, nudging her legs to wrap around him so he could flow deeper. There was a clenched curse that slipped from her lips as he felt her body grow tighter, tighter, tensing, her thighs trembling along his hips as she whimpered the first two syllables of his name. Inuyasha smiled, softly shushing her while she came down, slowing incredibly but never stopping.

As Kagome relaxed slightly, Inuyasha tapped her thighs, allowing her to release her hold. He hooked his arm in the crook of one knee, hiking it up as he pumped inside. She smiled as she exhaled, and the look of her responding so blissfully to him almost pushed him over right there. He thrusted just a little harder, watching her head roll back into her mess of pillows. Then a little harder as she clutched the pillow cover just above her sprawled out hair. Then even harder as she whispered for him to do so, her swollen lips pursed as she grunted from one of his studious grinds. His body flushed hot as he felt the wave growing within, felt his impending climax clenching every muscle, held on for one more small moment just to see Kagome pull the pillow over to hide her face, and then bucked a few more times before heavily succumbing.

As he washed out of his reverie, Inuyasha lifted the pillow from over Kagome with a simple "Hi," the both of them laughing and curling into each other to live out the afterglow. He half expected to have _The Talk,_ but maybe enough had been said already. She was joking with him as they laid beneath the sheets, giggling and fiddling with his ears like everything was as natural as ever. Kissing her had quickly become his favorite hobby, especially as she grew sleepy. Her lips were plush and slow against his, but still enthusiastic enough not to let him stop. Her hands liked to travel into his hair, liked to grasp whenever he got carried away - not to stop him, but to encourage him.

Around three in the morning, he pulled her to lay against his chest, closing his eyes to the feeling of her fingertips trailing along the muscles near his hips. He combed her hair back with his nails, content to stay like this for as long as physically possible, content to stay conscious as she drifted to sleep so he wouldn't lose a single moment more.

"Hey," Kagome whispered, her voice vibrating against his side.

"Hm?"

"Did you lock the door?"

"I locked it when I came back for my hat." He chuckled, kissing the top of her head.


End file.
